The so-called Green Man motif, like the one on the left, is often found in medieval grotesques. An ancient symbol of rebirth, the Green Man is linked to spring, and earlier gods of the forest. Most generally, the Green Man is surrounded by leaves or branches.

This Green Man lives in York Minster, beneath the kings on the Quire Screen. And though surrounded by what looks like foliage, his color is gilt, not green.

Nearby, there is a companion carving also covered in gilt. To my eye, this figure has a feline countenance. This type of grotesque has almond-shaped eyes, and an open mouth. It also has hands with which to grasp the foliage.

Unlike the grotesques in the Chapter House, and carvings elsewhere in the Minster, these figures give a glimpse of the original sculpted figures that were once brightly painted.

The Chapter House at York Minster

The Chapter House at York Minister is a unique structure for several reasons, one of which is its distinctive ceiling. In particular, there is no central column holding it up. The vaulted ceiling is supported by painted wooden timbers. How so? Timber is a lighter weight than stone, and can support the roof with the weight transferring to columns between seven stained glass windows. Exterior buttresses against the exterior walls help distribute their weight.

Beneath the stained glass windows, there are forty-four seats for the canons of York Minster. Each canon can look across the open space with an unobstructed view of their colleagues. [Whether he can actually see his fellow clergy is another matter.]

Medieval canons with wandering minds could look at the jeweled stained glass, or up to the vaulted ceiling. They could also look at the grotesque sculptures near each seat. Over 200 individual stone portraits of men, women, and beasts reveal a kaleidoscope of facial expressions and behaviors. The mouth on the woman above, for example, is covered. Did she talk too much? Or perhaps she had a tendency to gossip.

The Chapter House Grotesques

In many ways, grotesque figures are archetypes illustrating various themes. Scholars once attributed the fact that so many grotesques are clutching their mouths to mean toothaches and other dental problems were rampant. Given the state of dentistry, they probably were, but there are other possible explanations. The usual name given to these figures is “mouth-pullers.” And the behavior of the figure on the right with one hand tearing out his hair, and the other near his mouth is an illustration of Anger, or Wrath — one of the Seven Deadly Sins.

The chap on the left seems to have other issues. Note his look of consternation, or is it revulsion, with his the wrinkled brow, horrified eyes, open mouth, and a seemingly complete set of teeth.

There are also faces screaming in terror. This fellow on the right stares forward with horror, his mouth (with another set of good teeth) is open in shock or pain. And who can blame him for his surprise? He has a creature sitting on his head with its claws extended into his scalp. Ouch! Beastly grotesques are said to indicate a chaotic life energy which may explain why the winged beast looks as horrified as his host.

A wide open mouth with a protruding tongue is said to be a symbol of devouring giants. But who is the chap on the left consuming? He too has a good set of teeth.( At this point on my voyage of grotesque discovery, I did a search on the symbolism of teeth. One site suggested teeth can manifest “emptiness,” and transience. Not very cheerful, but I thought I’d share the possibility.)

Did the canons zone out from meetings by contemplating horror, doom, & gloom? Did they muse on the possibility of their dire future existence in hell? Were their thoughts consumed by worry about a mythical bird sitting on their heads, clawing out their eyes, and pecking on their respective noses? Was it always a case of man pulling himself out of the abyss? If so, perhaps the canons should pay attention to the topics under discussion and keep their eyes on heaven.

Happily, there are a few carvings of folks who experience some happiness, such as this couple on the right who seem nervous but content.

There are also monkeys who seem to giggle at whatever sight they are viewing. This is not a good sign, since monkeys symbolized man’s folly and vanity. Perhaps they are not the best figures to emulate, but compared to other sculptures, they have a certain charm.

Dogs also have a friendly vibe. I’m not sure what this one holds in his mouth. It looks a bit like a fish to me.

Dogs, monkeys, bears and other animals were viewed as lower than humans who were expected to exhibit a higher standard of behavior.

In the Chapter House, the sculptures may have been put above each seat to create an opposite to each occupant. In all things, there had to be a balance of good and evil. If one carving was a benign figure, there had to be an opposite carving to instill a fear of falling into evil.

So for every depiction of what might be innocence, such as the young man on the left, there must be another who will pay an agonizing price for choosing the wrong path. Indeed, the fellow on the right looks as if he’s repenting as the winged figure digs its claws into his scalp.

Incidentally, the grotesques were not the monochromatic figures they are today. Originally they were painted in colors as bright as stained glass which must have made them appear all the more realistic.

COMING SOON!

The Life & Times of Sarah Good, Accused Witch

Illustrations & A Few Sources

Chapter House Ceiling by Michael D. Beckwith. Chapter House Windows by Paul Hudson. Chapter House Interior by Tilman2007. All other photos by Author. “York Minster.” Britain and Britishness. “York Minster Chapter House.” Historiette. Feb. 17, 2022.

The post Chapter House Grotesques at York Minster first appeared on Sandra Wagner-Wright.

Over the years, I have visited York Minster many times. And I always see something unexpected, like this chap on the left. It seems uniquely appropriate that a creature such as this should be restrained by fencing in the Stonemasons’ Yard.

The wide-eyed creature with pointed ears clutches his head while a frog crawls out from under its sharply pointed teeth. During medieval times, frogs represented demons. And demons, as people knew then, were fallen angels.

This particular frog’s eviction doesn’t necessarily seem voluntary, but the frog appears to experience less pain than its host.

The creature’s body has a humanoid appearance. In its left hand, the creature holds a fish, a medieval symbol of Christianity. The sculpture’s message might be that Christ has evicted the creature’s demons.

The next question a viewer might have is who, or what, this unhappy creature is. The statue is what is known as a grotesque, a word Dictionary.com translates as an ugly, or comically distorted figure, creature or image. If the sculpture contained a drainage spout, it would be called a gargoyle.

This particular grotesque was designed to replace a statue on one of the York Minister buttresses that has been worn down by wind and rain. The original carving is how a shapeless blob of stonework. Its condition might be even worse than the illustration at right.

In recreating the creature, Lewis Morrison selected the theme of good and evil: frog and fish. He and his associates hand-carved the half-ton figure from 1,510 pounds of local limestone that was probably taken from a quarry near Tadcaster.

Once in place, no one on the ground will be able to see this mythical creature as it stands, a silent sentinel of cosmic struggle.

There has been a Stonemasons’ Yard at York Minster since the 18th century. The work of restoration is a never-ending and expensive process supported by individual, private and public donations. The present stoneyard established in 1914, is being transformed into a Center for Excellence.

The Doom Stone

The York Minster grotesques seem almost benign in comparison to the Doom Stone, presently housed in the crypt.

The stone dates back to the 12th century Norman period. The figures are difficult to see. The limestone has eroded, and the paint is reduced to small chips. It may be part of a larger sculpture, or perhaps not.

Whatever its original intent, the Doom Stone is about the pathway to damnation. The man in the upper left carries bags of money to symbolize greed.

The well-dressed woman in the upper right personifies lust. All the figures are being pushed into a cauldron at a lower level of hell. The cauldron itself is supported by two demons and two devils. At the bottom, toads clean the nostrils of a central face.

External Grotesques & Gargoyles

A plethora of grotesques decorate York Minster’s exterior.

Female and male, they sit on the exterior edges in contemplation.

A craftsman emerges from the stone with his chisel.

A snake appears to be wrapped around this man who may be consuming something he shouldn’t.

The last picture in our gallery is an intricately carved couple lounging above 17th century funerary monuments. The viewer can see the woman’s facial expression, her intricate hairstyle, her jewelry and fashionable clothing. Sadly, her partner appears to have “lost his head;” the woman appears to be grasping at his cowl. He, too, is well-dressed, wearing his sword on his right side and dagger on his left. Who were they? Where did the gentleman leave his head? And why did the woman keep her head while the man lost his? Alas, it is unlikely we’ll ever know.

[Note: Many statues in the nave lost their heads during the 16th century reformation. But this carving is in the north quire aisle.]

COMING SOON!

The Life & Times of Sarah Good, Accused Witch

Illustrations & A Few Sources

All Photos by Author. Roff Smith. “Here’s How You Sculpt a Medieval Statue in the 21st Century.” National Geographic. Feb. 4, 2025. Tim Barber. “York Minster’s Sinister Doomstone.” Real Yorkshire Blog. Sept. 23, 2022.

The post York Minster Grotesques & Other Carvings first appeared on Sandra Wagner-Wright.

Though there are taller buildings now, York Minster continues to tower over the City of York and the entire Yorkshire region. I’m a huge fan of this stone monument and in awe of the lives it has touched – some for the better, others not so much. This last stop on my research trip was pure pleasure. Among the many things that could be said, here are a couple I selected for today.

LOVE, POLITICS & KING EDWIN’S CONVERSION

It is said that King Edwin of Northumbria erected a wooden church on this site in 627. When Edwin conquered Northumbria in 616, he decided to marry a Christian Kentish princess. She traveled north with her spiritual advisor, Bishop Paulinus. Eventually, Edwin agreed to be baptized and built the church at York. The scene is reflected in the baptismal cover on the right which is in the crypt. King Edwin is to the left, with Bishop Paulinis on the right.

There is some controversy as to where this church was located. Some say it was here, in the spot marked off by benches. At least one other scholar says it was in the same area, but a different spot. Since the building materials have long dissolved, the actual site is impossible to find.

Today York Minster is the largest surviving Gothic cathedral north of the Alps. Construction began about 1230 with completion in 1472. The entire cruciform structure is 524.5 feet long. The nave is 264 feet long, 100 feet wide and a distance from the floor to the vaulted ceiling of 94 feet. The nave was too wide for a stone roof, so wood was used which has made the structure vulnerable to fire.

In 1840, fire destroyed the ceiling which was rebuilt. Every decorated boss, the point where the arches intersect, was an exact replica except the one of the Virgin Mary feeding the Baby Jesus. Victorian sensibilities decreed that she would henceforth bottle feed her infant.

THE UNDERCROFT

The Undercroft is a particularly fascinating area, because the remnants of Roman, Norman and Gothic architecture are all visible. The first building on the Minster’s site was a Roman Army headquarters constructed in 71 CE. It sat at a 45 degree angle to the present Minster structure. It was here that Roman legions declared Constantine to be the new Roman emperor in 306.

In 1080 Archbishop Thomas of Bayeux began building a stone cathedral on the site. Foundations and masonry with their distinctive Norman designs are still present.

Though the pillars look strong, they were erected on soft soil. Between 1967 and 1972 what was called the Great Dig took place to shore up foundations underneath the Central Tower. Concrete pillars and rods now provide a firm foundation, and in order to prevent harmful vibrations, traffic is no longer allowed in the Minster area.

There are two crypts in the Undercroft.

The western crypt contains the modern shrine to St. William of York (d.1154). St William in mosaic splendor presides. Moving forward is the reused Roman coffin containing his remains. The last area is the chapel itself.

Legend has it that St. William died of poison that was administered in the chalice at mass. Within a few months, miracles were attributed to his intervention. In 1227 Pope Honorius III canonized William.

This wall is all that remains from what was once the Archbishop’s Palace. During the nineteenth century, buildings near the Minster were cleared away to create Dean’s Park.

There is much more to say about York Minster, but I’ll leave it for another time. York was the last stop on my research trip. From here I was homeward bound.

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Featured Image: Photo of York Minster from York City Walls

All Photos by Author. All Rights Reserved.

York Minster

The post York Minster first appeared on Sandra Wagner-Wright.